Guyana News

Rafeek Khan, the 35-year-old driver who was found hiding in the Atlantic Gardens home of businesswoman Sattie Beekharry a short while after she was heard shouting “murder,” was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with killing her.

Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael G Kozak this evening said he expected President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo  to honour their commitment to “respect legitimate recount results” In a tweet this evening, Kozak, who has frequently commented on the Guyana elections said:  “We look to President Granger and Opposition Leader Jagdeo to honor their commitments to respect legitimate recount results.

With the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections drawing to a close, the envoys of the US, UK, Canada and the EU today said “is important for all stakeholders to uphold the integrity of the process and peacefully accept the wishes of the Guyanese population”.

Seventy-six ballot boxes from the March 2nd general elections were recounted today, according to GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj.

A 35-year-old driver was today remanded to prison after he was charged with the murder of businesswoman Sattie Beekharry, who was killed in her Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara home earlier this week.

In their final report on the March 2nd polls, the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) has said that the integrity of the entire electoral process was “seriously compromised” by vote count in Region Four and has cited the senior Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) officials for acting in violation of the law.

The APNU+AFC Coalition during yesterday’s tabulation made significant gains, managing to decrease the lead held by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the General Elections to 7,073 votes.

The General Secretariat of the Organisation of American States (OAS) last evening declared that the soon to be concluded National Recount here will yield a credible result for the March 2nd General and Regional Elections (GRE).

Campaign Co-Chair of the APNU+AFC Coalition, Joseph Harmon  yesterday doubled down on claims that the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections were riddled with fraud before contending that the three-person scrutinizing team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will in their report determine the credibility of the entire elections.

After finding that accused Marcus Bisram was unlawfully committed to stand trial for murder, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall on Monday also granted him an order prohibiting the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from bringing an indictment in the High Court charging him with the capital offence.

For a fourth day, Guyana yesterday reported that testing had not found any new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Five members of the US Congress have written to President David Granger urging that he ensure an internationally recognised declaration of the results of the disputed March 2nd general elections consistent with the laws of Guyana.

A Corentyne pastor and nine others yesterday faced charges that they breached the restrictions on social activities under the emergency measures instituted to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.

Although Region Nine has no active cases of the coronavirus disease and everyone who had direct contact with the region’s only confirmed case have tested negative, it is still under threat as persons continue to travel back and forth between Guyana and Brazil.

Surveyor and former Chairman of the Elections Commission, Edward Garnett Hopkinson has passed away at the age of 90.

 In keeping with its efforts to make housing affordable for Guyanese, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has extended its Republic Jubilee land discount promotion until June 30.

As the nation nears the conclusion of the Recount of the votes cast in the March 2nd general elections, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday called upon all the people of Guyana and each of  the contesting parties to recognize and accept the result of the Recount, agreed to by both President David Granger and General Secretary of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo, as the final decision and declaration of the Guyana Elections Commission.

The COVID-19 mobile testing unit yesterday completed a three-day operation at a Diamond, East Bank Demerara location, where four persons were tested after a total of 14 were screened.

A man was yesterday remanded to prison on a simple larceny charge after being accused of stealing a gold and diamond bracelet.

The OAS Observer Mission tonight said it has no reason to doubt that the results emanating from the recount at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre will be credible.